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Access to Environmental Resources and Physical Activity Levels of Adults in Hawaii

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Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health

Published online on

Abstract

Purpose. Examine associations between physical activity (PA) and spatial accessibility to environmental PA resources in Hawaii. Methods. Metabolic equivalents (METs) of mild, moderate, and strenuous PA were compared for accessibility with environmental PA resources within a population-based sample of Hawaiian adults (n = 381). Multiple linear regression estimated differences in PA levels for residing further from a PA resource or residing in an area with a greater number of resources. Results. No associations were found in the total sample. Analyses within subsamples stratified by ethnicity revealed that greater spatial accessibility to a PA resource was positively associated with strenuous PA among Caucasians (P = .04) but negatively associated with moderate PA among Native Hawaiians (P = .00). Conclusion. The lack of association in the total sample may be a consequence of Hawaii’s unique environment. Results of stratified sample analyses are unique, providing groundwork for future examinations within parallel environments and among similar ethnic groups.